


Flames and Bloodlines

by eternal_song



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Fai speaks Russian, Flashbacks, KuroFai Olympics, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), based on Slavic mythology
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 11:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11758770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternal_song/pseuds/eternal_song
Summary: In this world the trouble lies not in finding the feather, but in retrieving it from the claws of the creature who guards it. It seems that Fai has a closer connection to this country than he's comfortable with, but hey, at least he can actually read the books here.Written for the 2017 KuroFai Olympics with the prompt "Trial by Fire", representing Team Phoenix.





	Flames and Bloodlines

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains minor spoilers for Fai's past, but not of the biggest plot points.
> 
> This fic also works off of my personal headcanon that Celes is situated in northern Russia and my desire for him to be able to read his own language for once on their journey, so there are a few instances of the language being used. The mythology in here is based on a specific legend from Slavic folklore. I did my best to do research, but if I got your culture/folklore/language wrong, I apologize. Feel free to correct me.
> 
> I had a lot of fun researching and writing this. I may have taken the prompt too literally, but I'm happy with the result. A huge shoutout to Blue_Phoenix_Tears and Animangod on dreamwidth for their help, and to drygrasses for a final beta-ing.
> 
> Edit: And another big thank you to KatrinaKeynes for her corrections to the Russian I used here. I never would have known if you hadn't helped me!

When Mokona spat everyone out, they landed in a heap in a patch of bushes on the side of a wide dirt road. The air was thin and chilling, even as the midday sun beat down on their group. Fai exhaled a cloud of frost and sat up amongst the bright gold and red leaves of the shrub. He wished he knew what had become of his fluffy Celesian coat, but the last time he’d had it had been in Shara, before he and Kurogane had been swept into Yama. It was fortunate that his armor protected him from the chill in the air. 

He looked around as the others sat up as well. They seemed to be in a high alpine valley, richly colored with similar autumn foliage on the abundant plant life. Fai glanced down the road. In the distance, he could see a tall mountain rearing up, higher than any of the other nearby peaks. A large city sprawled across the breadth of the valley at the mountain’s base, climbing a short way up its near side. The sheer volume of buildings crowded together at the center was apparent even at a distance. The mountain itself loomed above, resplendent in golds, reds, and the occasional green patch of conifers. Oddly enough, the top of the peak appeared to have been broken off, exposing a hollow depression in the center.

Fai stood and brushed himself off, then reached down to offer a hand to Sakura. Mokona, who had landed in the princess’s lap, hopped onto Fai’s shoulder as he helped the girl stand. They pointed in the direction he had been gazing.

“Mokona senses a lot of power coming from that way! It sure feels like Sakura’s feather,” they declared, looking expectantly as Syaoran and Kurogane hauled themselves out of the bushes to peer in the same direction.

“Seems like our best bet,” Kurogane said, crossing his arms. “We’ll need food and lodging anyways.”

“Aww, Kuro-daddy is such a good provider for his family!” Fai cooed at the man, who simply growled at him and began stalking down the road in a fit of pique.

“We’d better get going, then.” Syaoran looked worriedly up at the sky, shading his eyes from the sun. “It’s a long way, and it looks like it’s already past noon.”

They set out, following the well-maintained road. Progress was fairly easy, though not particularly hurried. A couple of times, Sakura had to stop to adjust the train of her dress, as the sash had come loose. It was a beautiful piece of clothing, and it suited her, but it was incredibly impractical for a long trek down a dirt road.

There was the occasional traveler on horseback who passed them, glancing at their odd clothing before carrying on. Nobody seemed too bothered by the sight of the four travelers and their mascot, however, and the group made steady headway towards the city. At one point they passed a road sign, and Fai was startled to realize he recognised the language it was written in. He paused and leaned forward to study it.

“Древокорень: Ⰻ вёрст,” the sign read, in a slightly modified version of the written language used in Celes. Fai wondered how long a versta was, and how long it’d take to walk twenty of them. Syaoran stopped next to him, staring at the sign in bewilderment.

“Fai-san, can you read this?” he asked. “I don’t recognise the words, though I think my father had a text with this alphabet.”

Fai wiggled a hand in a non-committal gesture.

“For the most part, yes, although I’m not so sure what the unit of distance means. I believe that the name of the city ahead means ‘Tree Root’, if I’m reading it correctly.”

As he spoke, a horse-drawn wagon drew abreast of them and stopped.

“Hello there! Are you four headed for the city?” the wagon driver called. They all looked over at him. Upon seeing Mokona perched on Fai’s shoulder, he amended, “Sorry, five! What a cute little forest spirit!”

Mokona giggled and blushed at this comment, but it was Sakura who spoke up first.

“Yes, we’re hoping to get there before sunset. Are you going there too?” she said brightly, giving the man a sincere smile. He returned it and nodded.

“I am indeed. My name is Kazimir. I’m a merchant here in Drevokoren', just coming back with more supplies to sell at the inn my wife and I run.” The man gestured to the back of his wagon, which was full of barrels, crates, and various large goods. “What brings you all this way? Not many people are willing to make the journey to such an elevation solely for a vacation.”

The travelers all looked at each other, silently conferring, before Syaoran stepped forward.

“I’m Syaoran, and these are my friends, Fai-san, Kurogane-san, Sakura-hime, and Mokona.” He introduced everyone, pointing at each party member. Fai and Mokona waved, Sakura bowed, and Kurogane simply held eye contact. “We’re looking for something, and we’ve been all over researching legends. This city seems promising.”

Kazimir nodded and gave the travelers a huge grin. “Ah, storytellers, excellent! Well, though you may not be aware, this city has the best local legend, because ours is true! If you want, I’ll give you a lift and tell you all about it.” The man pointed towards the back seat of the wagon.

“Yay, no more walking!” Mokona cried out.

“You weren’t walking anyway, pork bun!” Kurogane shouted at them. Fai heard Kazimir laugh, and when he looked over, the merchant had jumped off the wagon to pull down a step ladder onto it.

“Well, now none of you have to walk. I could use some new people to talk to anyway. Ask my wife -- she’ll tell you that I never shut up.”

“I believe it,” Kurogane muttered as he climbed onto the back seat of the wagon. Fai had to fight to keep his laughter quiet. Mokona was not so careful.

As the wagon began moving, Syaoran immediately went into what Fai privately called “serious archaeologist” mode. He had taken the seat up front, next to Kazimir, and had likely decided to use the opportunity to his full advantage.

“Thank you for your help, Kazimir-san, and for information. In particular, the kind of legends we collect are those regarding magical artifacts.” He looked expectantly at the man, who glanced at him and smiled indulgently.

“Right,” he agreed, “Those are always enjoyable. Nothing excites the mind like magical treasure.”

“Right!” Syaoran nodded enthusiastically.

Sakura joined in, adding, “This might be overly specific, but do you know of any stories regarding an artifact in the shape of a feather?”

If Kazimir was surprised, it didn’t show on his face. Instead, he turned and gave Sakura a broad grin before putting his eyes back on the road.

“Oh-ho, so you do know something of our local legend!” he crowed. Everyone sat up straighter at this, even Kurogane, who had slouched against the backrest of his seat. Syaoran looked like he had no idea what to say in response to it, so Fai cut in.

“Oh, yes, but only the basics. A feather, full of immense magical power, suddenly appearing one day…” He trailed off, giving Kazimir the perfect point to jump into the story. The man didn’t disappoint.

They spent the next hour of their ride hearing all about said magical feather. This feather had been found one day in a grain field by a young archer. His horse informed him that it was the tail feather of the magical Zhar-ptitsa that lived at the top of the mountain, which was why it glowed with a light of its own. The archer presented it to the dying Tsar, the ruler of the country, and was greatly rewarded for his find with both riches and marriage to the Tsar’s eldest daughter. The Zhar-ptitsa themself then came down from the mountain to visit the Tsar on his deathbed at the archer’s request. They proclaimed the Tsar both kin and a worthy ruler and took their feather back, because it was too powerful to leave in the hands of humans. They then instructed the Tsar that, from there on out, each new ruler must come to the nest in the crater at the top of the mountain before their coronation ceremony to be judged worthy to rule the country.

“And to this day, an image of the feather itself is used as the royal insignia,” Kazimir concluded.

“Wait, so this creature has an immensely powerful artifact, decides who can and can’t rule, and you guys are just… ok with that?” Kurogane asked, eyebrow raised incredulously. Kazimir glanced back at Kurogane, a wry smile on his face.

“Well, the Zhar-ptitsa is a powerful being. If anyone is qualified to hang onto the feather, we figure they are. And, at any rate, who’s gonna argue with it?”

“Yeah, Kuro-rin! Who besides you would try fighting a mythical creature?” Fai teased. Kurogane just grumbled about being able to win that fight, so Fai just laughed and turned back to Kazimir. “So what manner of creature is this Zhar-ptitsa, anyway?” he asked.

“Oh, they’re this huge bird with the power to control fire.” Kazimir said, as if it were an everyday statement. “Every autumn they build a nest in the crater of the mountain, where they sleep all winter. Then, in early spring, the nest turns into a bonfire in the heat of the sun, revitalizing them for the coming year. They’re very ancient, and very wise.”

“Oh!” Fai said, understanding dawning on him. “That sounds like the Firebird legend from my country.” Kazimir nodded at him.

“Yeah, I’ve heard them called that by other foreigners, too. Anyway, they should be building their nest for the winter right about now. We’ve seen them flying overhead lately, and so a lot people have been making the pilgrimage up to the top of The Aerie to leave offerings at the altar. You could probably do it too, if you wanted to catch a glimpse of it.”

“Is The Aerie the name of the mountain?” Sakura asked, gazing up at the peak up ahead, which was growing steadily closer.

“Well, that’s what we’ve all nicknamed it,” Kazimir said. “Its proper name is Gnezdo Ogennoy Ptitsy, but that’s kind of a mouthful.”

“And what would we need to do, if we wanted to leave it an offering?” Syaoran asked. Kasimir winked at him.

“Just leave that to me.”

 

* * *

 

Kazimir took them to the inn that he and his wife Yelena ran and promised to outfit them with food, a map, and more practical traveling clothes for the next day. He also got them a hearty dinner and two rooms, much to the delight of Mokona. They declared that they wanted to sleep squashed between Syaoran and Sakura that night. Both blushed at the implication that they would be sleeping that close together, which Fai was sure had been Mokona’s goal. Of course, he also caught the sly look the creature sent him as they made this declaration. That made Fai wonder how much the creature knew, or had guessed, about what had happened between him and Kurogane in Yama. Given that even Fai himself wasn’t really sure what his relationship with Kurogane was now, he figured that Mokona was simply doing their routine teasing. If he thought too hard about it, he was sure to come to a conclusion he didn’t like. Instead, he fell back into his usual policy of avoiding the issue.

During dinner, Yelena had offered Fai a book that went more in-depth into the history of the Zhar-ptitsa, which Fai took her up on. He now sat atop one of the twin beds in his and Kurogane’s room, browsing through it. The language was, in essence, a dialect of Celesian. He had only a little trouble parsing some words, but the legend was incredibly familiar, with a few notable differences from the one he remembered. He slowly became engrossed in the story. The bird, who had protected the mountain range since ancient times,was so beloved that the locals had even named the mountain “Firebird’s Nest” in honor of them. Fai spent a very long time looking at the illustration on one of the pages. It was a stunning hand-colored engraving, and the creature looked so familiar that at first he didn’t register the most important detail; they were holding Sakura’s feather in their beak. He marked the page with a scrap of paper so that he could show it to the kids in the morning, and kept reading. He got through a few more pages before he heard a familiar voice.

“Mage.”

Fai looked up to see Kurogane standing in the doorway, giving him an inscrutable gaze. Fai smiled at the taller man and set the book aside on the table between the two beds.

“I’d recommend you read it, but I guess it wouldn’t do you much good,” He said. “It’s too bad Mokona’s translation abilities don’t work on writing.”

“So tell me what you know about the thing. Is it the same creature as the one from your world?”

Fai smiled at him and didn’t answer right away.

 

* * *

 

_Fai knocked gently on the doorway of the king’s study. It was open, but he was unwilling to simply walk in without an invitation. Ashura-ō looked up from the documents he was studying and smiled at Fai._

_“Ah, Fai, to what do I owe the pleasure?” The king set down his pen and stood, gesturing for Fai to come sit with him near the fireplace. Fai hesitated, gripped the book he was holding, then moved forward to join Ashura-ō on the plush couch. The king looked at him expectantly, so Fai flipped to the page he’d marked earlier._

_“I was studying this book, and then this chapter started talking about magical creatures. I thought I recognized the bird in this drawing, so I wanted to ask you about it.” He turned the book so that Ashura-ō could look at the illustration. It was of a large bird with a crested head, sweeping wings, and a long plumed tail. “Is this the same bird that’s part of your insignia?”_

_Ashura-ō smiled and ruffled Fai’s hair in an affectionate gesture._

_“Very astute, Fai. You’re right. This creature, the Firebird, is an important part of Celesian culture. Legend says that they are the guardian of the royal family, and that we are their kin, in a way. Of course, one hasn’t been seen in many generations, but that doesn’t mean that the legends are untrue.”_

_“But if the legends the book mentions are true, how can they burn to ash and come back to life afterwards? I don’t understand.” Fai’s brow furrowed as he tried to think it through. Ashura just used his thumb to smooth it out again._

_“No one knows,” he confessed. “But many people see it as a metaphor for their own lives -- going through hardships and coming out stronger in the end, rather than pretending that those hardships never happened.”_

 

* * *

 

“Mm, how about I tell you when Syaoran and Sakura are around? I’d rather not repeat myself.” Fai hedged. Kurogane sighed, but didn’t look overly surprised at this verbal dodge. “Speaking of which, how are the kids?” Fai asked. He languidly stretched as Kurogane grunted and walked into the room.

“They’ve settled in just fine. The princess is already asleep, and the meat bun seems to have joined her, although who can tell with them?” Kurogane began stripping off his armor, and Fai wondered if he was as relieved as Fai himself felt about never having to wear it again. “The kid was staring at the map. Probably trying to memorize the trail to the top.”

Fai hummed, watching the other man’s back muscles intently.

“One has to wonder how likely we are to get lost on a trail taken by hundreds of people each year,” He said. Kurogane shrugged and turned to face him. Fai made no effort to hide the fact that he’d been essentially ogling his companion.

Kurogane raised an eyebrow at him, but remained silent. In response, Fai stood and pulled off the long-sleeved shirt he had worn under his armor. He then deliberately crossed the few feet of distance between them and gazed up at Kurogane, silently challenging him to take what he wanted, and -- well. Just because he had a silver tongue didn’t mean he wasn’t well versed in nonverbal communication.

 

* * *

 

The next morning, Yelena woke them up at daybreak so that they could eat and start their trek. According to her, the trek up the mountain trail could take between six to nine hours, but they should find it easier coming back down. To everyone’s relief, she was more than happy to take Sakura’s dress from Shura as payment for all of her and Kazimir’s help. She declared that it was one of the most beautiful textiles that she had ever seen. Kazimir added that they might just put it on display in their shop, rather than selling it, since the sight of it alone should draw in business. After bringing the group their breakfast, the couple left them alone and went to take care of their other guests.

While they ate, Fai pulled out the book and laid it on the table where everyone could see it.

“I found something interesting as I was reading this last night,” he said, flipping it open to the page he had marked. “I believe it should help.”

His four companions leaned forward to inspect the engraving. Mokona gasped in delight when they saw it.

“Oh!” they cried, “They really do have Sakura's feather!”

“Well, looks like this wild goose chase might not be a total pain,” Kurogane said, studying the illustration with an intent expression. Fai barked out an incredulous laugh. Had Kurogane just made a joke?

“Kuro-min, I think the Zhar-ptitsa may take exception to you calling them a goose.” he said, poking at the furrow between the man’s eyebrows. Kurogane just growled at him and leaned back, going back to fighting Mokona away from his breakfast.

An hour later, they were all packed and ready to set out. Yelena and Kazimir saw them off, wishing them a safe hike and thanking them for coming to their inn.

“Oh, and this is also for you,” Yelena said, holding out a small package wrapped in paper and twine. “Place it on the altar to offer the Zhar-ptitsa. Since you’re not familiar with the practice, Kazimir and I took the liberty of putting it together for you.”

“That’s so kind of you, Yelena. Thank you very much,” Fai said, taking the package and tucking it into the backpack they’d provided him. Each of his human companions had one, although he had no doubt that they’d soon give them all to Mokona in order to make the trek easier. “Anything else?”

“No, I don’t think so.” She smiled as she began shooing them out the door. “Now, get going, it’s a long climb!”

They set out, winding their way through the city’s main streets. Kazimir had marked their route on the map, which Syaoran held tightly as they made their way towards the trailhead. At the very top of the city stood a large palace, and the trailhead was only a short distance from its outer walls. Fai assumed that this was so that the Tsar-to-be would have easy access when they went to visit the Zhar-ptitsa. The early morning sun lit up the left side of the castle and the mountainside, making the windows and autumn leaves blaze golden. It was even colder this early in the day, but they had all been provided with thick outer garments to fight off the morning frost. Even Mokona had been provided with a small tunic. Yelena had cut it from a larger scarf and quickly sewn it together, since she had taken a shine to the creature. Mokona had basked in the attention.

The trailhead was marked with a sturdy wooden sign and a decorative cairn. There were more cairns placed at regular intervals as far as Fai could see up the path, presumably to keep pilgrims from getting lost on their way to the altar at the top. The incline of the slope started rising gently, and in the distance the trail curved in a sharp hairpin turn before disappearing behind a colorful stand of birch trees. Their foliage and silvery bark sparkled in the morning sun, frost still clinging to the golden edges of each leaf.

They waited until they were out of sight of the city and then handed their bags over to Mokona, who then took their place on Kurogane’s shoulder. Unburdened, the group managed to walk at a slightly quicker pace. Kurogane took the lead. Fai noticed, however, that he set a pace that perfectly matched Sakura’s abilities. Though Fai was proud of how much stamina and vivacious energy Sakura had regained, she was still prone to the occasional bout of narcolepsy. Kurogane could deny it all he liked, but it was clear how much he cared about the princess’s wellbeing. The taller man also kept shooting glances at Syaoran, although that was likely more to ensure that the boy didn’t rush ahead recklessly, as he was wont to do when he got excited. Fai wondered if he had been this protective of his own princess back in his homeland.

All too soon, however, Kurogane turned his sharp gaze to Fai, and Fai knew that he wasn’t getting out of the conversation he had put off last night.

“Ok, Mage,” he said, “You’re the only one who was able to read the book about this creature we’re going after. What are we getting ourselves into?”

All eyes snapped to Fai, and he graced them all with the biggest grin he could muster.

“Hmm...” He tapped his chin and pretended to think for a moment. “Well, in my country they're called the Firebird. They are, as the name suggests, a large bird who controls fire. Some people say that there's only ever one in existence at a time. They nest on top of mountains, obviously, and it seems that this one has protected this mountain range for centuries. The Firebird hibernates in the winter, which is why we're lucky that it's late Autumn right now. They're building their nest, and they’re bound to show up once we get there.”

“That sounds a lot like the Hōō of my country, aside from the hibernation part.” Kurogane said. “It carries a fireball, lives on a tall mountain peak, and was born from the fires of the sun.”

“The sun, Kuro-pii? That seems a little fantastical, don't you think?” Fai teased.

Kurogane raised an incredulous eyebrow at Fai. “That's where you decide to draw the line, Mage? We ride a talking pork bun through dimensions.” He gestured at the entirety of Mokona on his shoulder to emphasize his point.

“Mokona bets that even Mokona would get too hot if Mokona went to the sun!” Mokona responded. Fai was amazed that he understood what they had just uttered, but he just looked at Kurogane with a smirk.

“See? Even Mokona agrees with me. Anyway, they’re usually harmless and only hurt people who do harm to others, so we should probably send Sakura to retrieve the feather from it. I’m sure a killer ninja isn’t going to go over well,” Fai teased. Sakura put on her best determined face as Fai continued. “From what I could see from the illustration in the book, they're pretty big, so they should be hard to miss.”

“I hope so,” Kurogane muttered. “The flames might not be obvious enough otherwise.”

Mokona nearly fell off of Kurogane’s shoulder from laughing so hard. Fai could feel his smile growing more genuine.

A few hours passed as the group climbed the mountain trail, and by the time it was about eleven, by Fai’s estimation, they were all ready to take a break and eat the lunch Yelena had provided for them. There was some fresh crusty bread and some type of cured sausage. The four ate in peace, making small talk and admiring the scenery. From their vantage point halfway up the mountain, they could see all across the valley. In the distance, a river cut a wide blue stripe through the fiery reds, oranges, and golds of the forests. The grass patches shone a bright tawny color, and the town was laid out like a storybook illustration, with gabled roofs and cobbled streets. Syaoran pointed out an eagle lazily soaring in circles above an adjacent mountain.

“Still, I wonder why the Zhar-ptitsa chose this particular mountain for their nest?” Sakura mused, gazing around at the other peaks surrounding the valley.

“This mountain is a volcano.”

Everyone turned to stare at Kurogane when he said this. He raised an eyebrow at everyone, daring them to argue.

“Is it?” Sakura asked, completely sincere in her curiosity. “How can you tell?”

“The huge crater at the top,” he answered. “There are volcanoes in my country that look the same.”

“Wow!” Sakura looked as though she was doing her best to work this small fact into her long-term memory, lest it come in handy one day. “Does your country’s Hōō live on one of them?”

Kurogane shook his head no.

“No one really knows. Some say it lives in a mountain range across the sea to the west. Some say it lives only where happiness and prosperity exist, and so seeing it is a good omen. It embodies the feminine half of the balance between it and the dragon, which is masculine, so one rarely strays too far from the other.”

“Feminine? Kuro-chi, the Firebird is masculine,” Fai said, laughing at the ridiculousness of Kurogane's statement. “And they're just as likely to bring misfortune as fortune, depending on the merit of the human they meet.”

Kurogane gave Fai an incredulous look, but merely stood and brushed some bread crumbs off of his tunic. Fai counted that as a win, and stood as well. Soon, the whole group was back on their feet and hiking again. They had made good progress on the first half, even with having to take the occasional break for the kids, so Fai was hopeful that they would make it to the summit by mid-afternoon. Sakura has been doing so well lately with her stamina, but the fact still remained that her soul was splintered and such a thing inevitably caused her to run out of energy. Despite himself, Fai was proud of her. She was certainly a lot more genuinely optimistic than he ever managed to be.

As they progressed towards the summit, the trees gradually grew sparser, and the deciduous trees gave way to scraggly, twisted evergreens, until even those fell away and the group was surrounded by lichens and tufts of grass growing between the worn black boulders.

“Look,” Syaoran said, pointing to the top of the trail, which was now just barely coming into view. “I think that must be the altar!”

Fai squinted at the grayish blur that Syaoran pointed to. Sure enough, he was soon able to make out a crude stone bench with a tattered canopy to protect the offerings from the strong mountaintop winds. With their destination finally in sight, their pace picked up considerably, and the final half mile or so of the hike was over in less than ten minutes.

“Mokona, may I have my pack, please?” Fai asked. Mokona spat it out at his feet. It took a moment of digging around to find the bundle of spices and incense, but once he did, he handed it over to Sakura. “I think you should be the one to place it, Sakura-chan.”

“Me?” Sakura asked, taking the packet and clutching it to her chest. Mokona hopped onto her shoulder for a closer look. “Are you sure? Fai-san, you’re the one who knows the most about the Zhar-ptitsa. What is the offering even for?”

Fai took a moment to marvel at how cute and earnest Sakura-chan was, and then another to figure out how best to explain it. How had Ashura-ō put it?

 

* * *

 

_Ashura-ō thought for a moment, then spoke again. “Fai, do you remember the spring festival, when everyone threw herbs and spices into the bonfire?”_

_“Yes. Although, I’m still not sure why they did,” Fai admitted. All the new Celesian holidays and festivals he was learning about were still incredibly confusing, being deeply rooted in a culture he had only recently become part of. It was also a novel experience for him, actually participating in celebrations._

_“Well, that practice is mostly symbolic now, but every spring, the Firebird awakens from their winter hibernation when the nest they built catches fire in the spring sunlight. They incorporate tree resin and spices into the nest, so that they can feed when they wake.”_

_“What do you mean?” Fai asked, tilting his head a little. “Wouldn’t those things just burn up too?”_

_“Yes, Fai,” Ashura-ō said. “Rather than any living being, the Firebird only eats aromatic smoke and morning dew, so by throwing spices and incense into the bonfire, we are trying to show the Firebird that we will provide for them as gratitude for their protection.”_

_Fai nodded and turned the book back towards himself. He studied the illustration for a moment, and then jumped up off of the couch and looked at Ashura-ō with all the sincerity he could muster._

_“Ok, I’m going to keep studying. I have to learn more so that I can earn my D ranking and protect Celes too!” In response to this declaration, Ashura-ō smiled gently at Fai._

_“I have no doubt that you can do it.”_

 

* * *

 

“Well, Sakura-chan, it’s so that the Zhar-ptitsa has something to eat in the spring,” he said, ruffling her hair. He explained it in the same words Ashura-ō had, and from the corner of his eye he could see Syaoran listening intently, looking as though he was desperate to take notes. Sakura nodded in understanding and placed the bundle amongst the others on the altar with perhaps a little more seriousness than was strictly necessary. With that out of the way, she rushed forward, grabbed Syaoran’s hand, and pulled him with her along the rest of the trail to the lip of the crater. Fai and Kurogane followed at a more sedate pace.

“Ah, young love,” Fai sighed wistfully, leaning into Kurogane’s personal space. Kurogane hummed noncommittally and kept walking, but made no move to get Fai to leave him alone. “Of course, I’m sure Kuro-wan was always popular in his youth. Or were you too busy being a stoic ninja to bother with romance?”

To Fai’s surprise, Kurogane reddened a little bit as he huffed in annoyance. Fai mentally filed that away to tease him about later.

They caught up to Syaoran and Sakura at the very edge of the crater. The kids were staring down into it with twin expressions of awe. One look at the massive pyre in the middle helped Fai understand why. The rocks inside the crater were all varying shades of black, although Fai wasn’t sure whether that was because they were volcanic or because they were scorched with magical fire. Probably both. There was only a small, barely discernable path towards the Zhar-ptitsa’s nest, likely unused since the last time a Tsar-to-be came to prove their worth to the creature. Mokona let out a whistle, and Fai joined in with a “hyuu”.

“That’s a big pile of sticks!” Mokona exclaimed, putting into words what they were probably all thinking. There was a resounding “thwap” as Kurogane facepalmed.

“Well, we’d better get going,” Fai said cheerfully, beginning to pick his way down the path. “We won’t get anything done by just standing around.”

“It doesn’t look like the bird’s even home, Mage,” Kurogane protested. “What do you plan to do, sit in the nest like the birdbrain you are?”

Fai didn’t even have a chance to laugh at Kurogane’s words as a loud flapping sound filled the air. Wind began swirling chaotically around the group, kicking up dust and grit, and Fai had to hold up an arm to shield his eyes from being sandblasted. Peering through his fingers, he looked up and saw the massive bird coming to land on top of the pyre they had constructed. Their wingspan was easily as long as Kurogane was tall, with a muscular body to match. The powerful flame-colored wings resembled those of a falcon, the long red primaries and orange secondaries blending into the yellow feathers covering the underwing. The bird’s body and beak were also falcon-like, but their head boasted a proud crest of flame-blue feathers, and their tail had long trailing feathers grading from yellow to red, with blue eyespots at the ends. Their white belly and blue legs contrasted with all of the reds and yellows of the rest of them.

The Zhar-ptitsa landed and gripped the edge of their nest with their dark talons. They studied the travelers for a moment, who were frozen in place with astonishment and more than a little fear. Their dark eyes glinted in the afternoon light as they tilted their head, gazing at them the way a robin gazes at a worm. Fai wondered if the creature could see how dark and twisted his soul truly was, and if they would burn him for his past mistakes, as the legends suggested. He didn’t wonder for long, however. As Kurogane and the kids caught up with him, a voice spoke to them all. The Zhar-ptitsa’s beak didn’t open, and no sound besides the wind entered Fai’s ears, but the words entered his head all the same.

 _Have you come to test your worthiness?_ They asked, tilting their head in the other direction. _I did not expect to see my kin again so soon, but mortal lifespans are a fickle thing._

“Um!” Sakura squeaked, putting on a brave face. “Zhar-ptitsa-san, you have my feather, and I’m afraid that I need it back!”

The Zhar-Ptitsa seemed to consider her words for a moment.

 _I have guarded this feather for centuries, little one, and have seen many come to claim it for themselves. Should this feather fall into the hands of a wicked soul, this land would fall to chaos._ The bird lowered their stance and craned their head forward, fixing Sakura with a nearly predatory gaze. _Only my own kin can pass through the flames to try, and only those of my kin who are truly worthy can stand to touch the feather without being burned. If you truly have a claim to this feather, you may go through the same trial as all the others._

Before anyone could say anything in response, the Zhar-ptitsa reared back to their full height and swept out their wings, sending up a massive wall of fire that just barely stopped short of swallowing up the travellers, who all cried out in surprise. Both Fai and Kurogane leaped back. Fai grabbed Sakura by the torso and Kurogane took ahold of Syaoran’s shirt collar, dragging both of them out of the way of the flames. Mokona, holding onto Sakura’s shoulder for dear life, just barely avoided tumbling off.

Fai and Kurogane surveyed the flames. They could no longer see the Zhar-ptitsa and their nest through the inferno, which raged higher than even Kurogane’s head. The light was nearly blinding.

“Well, now what?” Kurogane griped, releasing Syaoran and raking a hand through his hair in frustration. Fai set down Sakura and cautiously crept a little bit closer to the flames, trying to figure out the trick. To his surprise, he found that the flames felt barely warmer than wearing a fur coat in the summer; uncomfortable, but hardly life threatening.

“Mage, what are you doing?” Kurogane demanded, following Fai closely. It was hard to hear him over the roar of the flames. Fai could see sweat beading on his forehead, and he looked even more frustrated than usual.

“These flames are hardly warm at all,” Fai told him. “This may be a test of courage more than magic.”

“What the hell are you talking about? They’re hot enough to reduce you to ash if you get too close!” Kurogane’s face was getting quite red, and Fai didn’t think it was from embarrassment. He was confused by the taller man’s assertion, however, and reached out a hand toward the flames.

“No, see? They’re harmless.” Fai’s fingers were about to brush the flames when Kurogane’s hand shot out and grabbed his wrist.

“Be careful, Idiot! Do you- huh?” Kurogane’s expression twisted in bewilderment. He released Fai’s wrist, and then took hold of it again. “Oi, how are you doing that?”

“Doing what?” Fai looked at Kurogane in genuine confusion.

“Somehow, the flames are only hot when I’m not touching you.” He said, glaring in accusation at Fai. Fai hardly thought that was fair.

“Kuro-tan, I’m not doing anything. At least, not on purpose,” he said, scratching his temple with his free hand. “The flames just really aren’t hot to me, so perhaps that protection transfers to you when you touch me.”

Kurogane gave him a searching look, but for once Fai was telling the truth. He wasn’t doing anything.

“Ok, then,” he finally said, “Try it with the princess. It’s her feather, she should go with us through the flames.”

Fai wasn’t sure he wanted to risk Sakura’s well being like that, but he nodded at Sakura to come over anyway. She walked over and grabbed Fai’s free hand, and then made an adorably frustrated face.

“It’s not working for me,” She said, looking up at Fai. “I’m so sorry, Fai-san, but I don’t think I can go with you.”

Already she was sweating profusely, so Fai gave her a placating smile as she stepped back. Syaoran stepped forward and tried it too, with similar results.

“Well, it looks like it’s just me and Kuro-chi,” Fai said. The kids both looked upset at the idea, so he gave them the most genuine smile he could muster. “I promise we’ll get your feather, Sakura-chan.

Sakura nodded and began backing away from the flames. Syaoran followed her, eyebrows furrowed.

“Please be safe, OK?” Sakura asked. Kurogane and Fai both nodded at her.

“You three stay away from the flames,” Kurogane instructed. He then turned to Fai. “Let’s go.”

“Ok, Kuro-tan, but do you think you could hold onto my hand instead of my wrist? This is starting to hurt.” Fai winked at Kurogane, who blushed even through the already heated red of his face. The man didn’t complain, however, and complied with Fai’s request.

They stepped into the flames together. It was an odd experience. The flames didn’t feel like more than a warm wind swirling around them, but they were bright enough to nearly blind Fai. He held up a hand in front of his eyes and squinted at the barely discernable path to the bottom of the crater. The walk was downhill, but it was still quite difficult with the loose scree and the blinding light obscuring the path. A glance back at Kurogane showed that his eyes were narrowed to the point of nearly being closed, and so shadowed by his lashes that Fai couldn’t make out the red of his irises. The firelight that surrounded them nearly eliminated all shadow, giving Kurogane and the ground a disorienting flat appearance. Fai quickly cast his gaze back to the ground, searching out the trail. He concentrated on keeping his feet steady through the rubble.

“Oi, Mage.”

Fai gave Kurogane a quick glance. The man was studying him as best as he could, and his grip on Fai’s hand was nearly uncomfortable.

“Yes, Kuro-pon?” Fai responded, quickly redirecting his gaze to the path.

“The giant bird over there seemed to think that one of us was their ‘kin’,” Kurogane said. Fai felt his shoulders tense briefly. The man continued. “And since you’re the one who can stand this fire without burning up, that either means that you’re doing magic, which you’ve thus far flat-out refused to do, or you’re somehow the kin of a magical bird from another world.”

Fai had tried not to think about the implications of this situation, but, as usual, Kurogane’s probing questions made those uncomfortable thoughts unavoidable.

 

* * *

 

_Fai’s back itched as the magical sigil sank into his skin. He was a little overwhelmed at the magnitude of the gift that Ashura-ō had just given him. Not only would it, as the king explained, control the curse that had been placed on him, but it was the same Firebird design that made up the royal insignia._

_“Your majesty, why did you choose to use the royal insignia for this?” he asked, once Ashura-ō released him from his embrace and Fai could look him in the eye. “I’m very grateful, but isn’t it meant to be the symbol of Celesian royalty?”_

_Ashura-ō gave him that expression he sometimes wore, gentle and kind but with a deep sorrow behind it._

_“Yes, Fai, it is. Which is why you deserve to wear it on your skin. You’re part of the royal family now, after all.”_

_Fai’s brow scrunched up, and he looked down at where he was fidgeting with his coat’s long sleeves._

_“I- yes, but not by blood,” he protested. “I wasn’t born here, and…” He trailed off. He didn’t really want to think about his blood family at the moment. Ashura-ō reached out and tilted Fai’s chin up so that he could look the boy in the eye again._

_“Fai, whether you believe yourself worthy of it or not, the Firebird protects its kin, and now that includes you,” he said. “After all…”_

 

* * *

 

Well, he certainly couldn’t give Kurogane the full answer. Instead, Fai just laughed and gave the ninja the most infuriating smile he could muster.

“Silly Kuro-pii, did you think I had a Firebird tattooed on my back for no reason?”

Kurogane growled at the obvious deflection.

“Fine, don’t tell me,” he bit out. He then raised their joined hands. “More importantly, how the hell are you doing this, and why didn’t it work on the kids?”

Fai shrugged. He may know a lot more than he ever let on most of the time, but in this area he was as clueless as the ninja himself.

“I promise you, I have no idea.” He leaned in closer to Kurogane, who looked even more frustrated. “Perhaps it’s the power of true love~” he cooed at the taller man.

“You are the most insufferable person I’ve ever met.” Kurogane pushed Fai’s face away with this free hand which just made Fai laugh. Honestly, winding Kurogane up never failed to be satisfying, and it had the added bonus of making him stop asking uncomfortable questions.

The two men continued their trek in silence after that, doing their best to maintain their footing amongst the rubble. The slope was gradually leveling out, and they were drawing closer to the flat bottom of the crater where the nest lay. The flames, however, had grown higher and were gradually getting warmer. They now reached well above twice Fai’s height. The few gaps that had existed between the flames further up had gradually closed, making the wall of fire even more solid and turbulent. Fai’s hand was beginning to sweat as he clasped Kurogane’s tightly. He refused to let it slip. If he did so, he knew that Kurogane would be burned to ash in an instant, and that was unacceptable. Even though the man with the bat-like sigil had warned him that he might one day have to kill Kurogane, he balked at the idea of it happening like this. In fact, he balked at the idea of it happening at all, but he’d never had much choice in the matter. The best he could do was keep putting it off as long as possible.

“Mage, is it just me, or is it getting even hotter?” Kurogane clearly didn’t mean it as an actual question. His hand gripped Fai’s to the point of discomfort, slick with sweat, but Fai only held on tighter.

“Sorry, Kuro-wan,” he said, panting a little. It was a wonder they were able to get any air at all inside this inferno, but he supposed that the Zhar-ptitsa wouldn’t want someone to get through the flames only to suffocate halfway through. “This must be part of the trial. This magic is more ancient than anything I’ve come across before. Even if I could use my magic, I wouldn’t know what to do against this.”

Perhaps Kurogane sensed the honesty in his words, because he said nothing more. They trekked on through the growing flames.

Just as Fai was beginning to feel light-headed from the heat and lack of even the thin mountain air, the slope leveled completely and they were on the flat ground of the crater’s base. The two rushed forward as quickly as they could manage. In only a few strides, the burst through the wall of flames and into a clear area around the nest. The Zhar-ptitsa stood atop it like a monarch on their throne, proud and regal. Their tail feathers spilled in a cascade down the side of the pyre, flowing over blue legs that ended in obsidian-black talons. They lowered their head towards the pair. For a moment they seemed to study the two men walking closer, but then they sat back and raised the crest of feathers on their head as if in greeting.

 _Well done,_ they said. Fai privately thought that they didn’t look particularly impressed. He and Kurogane drew to a stop at a point only a few yards from the nest, where they didn’t have to crane their necks to look up at the bird. In response, the Zhar-ptitsa spread their massive wings and drew them down in one powerful wingbeat. The flames immediately died and the bird hopped down from their nest to perch on a large rock in front of the two. Fai was surprised to find that, despite the massive wings, the bird’s body wasn’t very tall, and they stood just below his eyeline while standing on a boulder. Kurogane dropped Fai’s hand and surreptitiously began wiping the sweat off on his pants.

 _You have passed through my flames and thus passed the first test, proving you are my kin._ The Zhar-ptitsa fixed its fathomless black eyes on Fai for a moment. Then, it turned to Kurogane. _I was not expecting to see one with the blood of the dragon pass my test as well, but it is unsurprising, given the circumstances._

Kurogane raised an eyebrow at the creature, but said nothing. Fai gave Kurogane a searching look, but found no hints on the man’s face to what the Zhar-ptitsa had meant.

 _Hold out your hands,_ the Zhar-ptitsa instructed them, _Side by side, if you would. There is still one more test, after all._

Both men complied, holding out the hands they had just had clasped together, the sides of their palms brushing each other. The Zhar-ptitsa studied their faces for a moment longer. Then they reached around to preen at their tail feathers. After a moment, they withdrew, clasping a shining white feather in their beak. It was unmistakably Sakura’s feather. Both Fai and Kurogane stiffened at the sight.

 _Many have tried to take this over the centuries since it appeared,_ the creature said, studying them once more. _Its power is greater than mortal hands were meant to wield. Should it fall into unworthy hands, the ensuing destruction does not bear thinking about. However, I have found that, combined with my magic, it has the power to reduce a wicked human to ash, while a pure and good human remains unharmed._

The Zhar-ptitsa paused, as if considering, and then placed the feather across Fai and Kurogane’s outstretched palms, so that it nestled safely there. Fai stiffened, expecting it to burn him, to expose him for the traitor he was, but no such thing happened. Fai could feel its magic humming, almost like a plucked harp string. It was the same sensation he had felt the very first time he had found two of Sakura’s feathers in a block of ice after an avalanche, the same power that he had transformed into Chii. It was achingly familiar, and slowly his fingers curled around the feather.

 _I see,_ The Zhar-ptitsa said, sounding almost pleased. _You both have good hearts and intentions. Were you from this world, you would have made an excellent pair of Tsars._

Both men looked at the creature in astonishment. Fai had a moment to think that perhaps the feather wasn’t such a good judge of character after all before he heard a shout from behind.

“Fai-san! Kurogane-san!”

Both men turned to see Sakura barreling towards them, Mokona gripping her tunic for dear life and Syaoran doing his best to keep up. Soon, Sakura skidded to a halt in front of the two, and then darted around to stand before the Zhar-ptitsa. Syaoran came to stand on Fai’s other side, and the three watched in bemusement as Sakura bowed before the massive bird with Mokona along for the ride.

“Thank you so much, Zhar-ptitsa-san, for looking after my feather.” She gave the bird a sunny smile, and they returned the bow with a dip of their head.

 _You’re welcome, child._ They straightened and tilted their head to look directly at the princess. _I sense the same magic in you as that which resides in the feather. I must admit, I am relieved that you have come for it, for it does not do to simply leave pieces of one’s soul laying about._

If birds could smile, then the Zhar-ptitsa would have had a wry grin on their face. Sakura gave them a little giggle, and then reached out and stroked a hand across the bird’s neck. To Fai’s surprise, they leaned into the touch and let out a low cooing sound.

“Zhar-ptitsa-san, how will you test a new Tsar once we’ve taken the feather?” Syaoran asked, a worried furrow between his brows. Fai was ashamed to realize that he hadn’t considered that question himself. It did seem to play an important role in this world, but the fact of the matter was that Sakura needed the feather more than anyone else here.

The Zhar-ptitsa flicked their long tail feathers in a gesture reminiscent of a dismissive wave. _I believe we have a mutual friend who will help me with that,_ they answered. The group all exchanged glances.

“You know Yuuko-san?” Mokona piped up. The bird nodded serenely.

 _Tell her that I have held up my end of the deal._ They ruffled their wings a little bit as they spoke. _It was she who first asked me to guard the feather, after all of the trouble it caused when it first appeared in this world._

“Trouble?” Kurogane asked, “Didn’t an archer find it in a field and take it to the dying Tsar?”

The Zhar-ptitsa ruffled their feathers again, this time in a clear gesture of annoyance.

 _You mortals always insist on telling your histories incorrectly,_ they scoffed. _When the young archer found this girl’s feather in a field, his horse told him that it belonged to me. It was part fae, and thus knew of me, but the poor beast was too dull-witted to notice that its magic is entirely different._

The Zhar-ptitsa nodded towards the feather that Fai still held.

_The only similarities that has to my tail feathers is the aura of magic and the glow they possess. Unfortunately, the archer took the horse’s words for truth. The horse did warn him to leave the feather and go on his way, but the archer thought that he would be rewarded if he gave it to the Tsar._

_Sadly for the archer, the Tsar was a wicked and greedy man. Once he saw the feather, he demanded that the archer capture me or he would be killed. His horse led him to my nest, and when he explained to me his plight, I knew I had to follow him. My tail feathers are not meant to be held by mortals._

The Zhar-ptitsa fanned out their tail as if to prove their point. Fai had to admit that the bird looked even more powerful with all of the flame-blue eyespots staring at him amongst a sea of red.

_The Tsar had also made the Archer kidnap a foreign princess whom he desired to marry. She was scared, but brave and wise, much like this young princess here. I knew this man could not be allowed to have such an artifact, especially once I saw that it was not my feather, but a source of magic not of this world, with power to eclipse my own. I burned the Tsar to ash the moment he dared attempt to restrain me. Only those worthy of it may touch me without harm. I then demanded that the Archer give me the feather, and he complied._

The bird seemed to calm down a bit in their telling, and they folded their tail back around their legs again before they continued.

_He and the princess were terrified, but neither quailed in the face of danger. I told them that they must be the ones to rule, and that they must ensure that their bloodline remains worthy to rule by sending them all to me before their coronation. That night, the Dimensional Witch came to me in a dream and asked that I guard the feather, as it is more important than I could have known. For centuries I have done so, and I feel confident now that it is safe with you._

Sakura smiled gratefully at the bird.

“I’m very grateful, Zhar-ptitsa-san.” She ran her fingers over the bird’s head and neck, and they leaned into the touch, eyes closed. “I always feel terrible when my feathers cause suffering for others. Knowing that you kept it safe is a relief!”

She dropped her hand and turned to Fai. Her eyes held a determined glint, and she nodded at him.

“I’m ready, Fai-san.”

Fai released the feather, which floated gently over to Sakura and dissolved into her breastbone. She had time to give the Zhar-ptitsa one last sincere smile before she collapsed against Kurogane. He hefted her up to carry her in one arm, and then looked expectantly at everyone.

“We got what we came for, so we should probably get to the next world.”

Syaoran nodded in agreement, and Mokona hopped up into the boy’s arms.

“We’ll need to climb out of this crater first,” they said. “The Zhar-ptitsa’s magic is so strong down here that it interferes with mine.”

Kurogane nodded, turning to make his way back up the slope of the volcanic crater. Syaoran made to follow, but Fai hesitated for a moment.

 _I would have a word with you alone, my kin,_ the Zhar-ptitsa said suddenly. Fai turned to look at it in surprise, and he noticed the others do so as well from the corner of his eye. He studied the creature, but their facial features were too alien to discern their intentions. Their eyes, however… those eyes were as black and shiny as polished obsidian, but they had a kindness to them that set Fai at ease, just a bit. He nodded in assent.

“I’ll meet you at the top of the crater, Kuro-chan,” Fai said, turning to flash the man an obnoxious smile. To his absolute delight, Kurogane shouted that they were going to leave him behind in this world and stomped off as best he could while still being careful of the sleeping princess in his arms. Syaoran shot Fai one last concerned look. When Fai made a shooing motion with his hand, the boy nodded and ran after Kurogane.

“Such a good father,” Fai sighed dramatically. He turned to the Zhar-ptitsa and found them studying him once more. He held eye contact, feeling distinctly uncomfortable and rather like he was being sized up as a meal.

 _I did not ever expect to meet someone from another world,_ they finally said, _let alone one who is my own kin._

Fai gave a nervous shrug.

“I’m not, really,” he confessed. “The man who took me in was, but I’m-- I’m just the boy he took pity on.”

The Zhar-ptitsa somehow managed to give him a look of condescension.

 _What does that matter?_ they asked, spreading their left wing slightly and bending to preen the alula. _Did the fact that you walked through my flames unscathed escape you?_

Fai shifted uneasily, for once unable to think of a deflection. The bird lifted their head to peek at them, then settled their wing back into place and straightened.

 _I believe the appropriate phrase here is “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb,_ they said.

“I’ve never heard it like that before. I thought it was ‘blood is thicker than water’.”

 _A common misquote._ The Zhar-ptitsa shot a meaningful look behind Fai. When he turned, he saw Kurogane and Syaoran standing at the top of the crater, with Kurogane still holding Sakura. They were waiting for him. Fai swallowed and turned back to the bird in front of him. They were once again staring at him.

 _Not all of us find our dragon, little one,_ they said, a solemn tone lacing their voice. _Don’t take him for granted. I have a long winter ahead of me before I can fly east and see my dragon again._

“Dragon?” Fai asked faintly. He had a good idea of what the Zhar-ptitsa was talking about, but was loathe to admit it. He was already in too deep, he was already compromised, and he could no more stand the thought of failing to reach his goal than he could the thought of what it would take to do so.

The Zhar-ptitsa seemed to sense his inner turmoil, and reached out to lightly peck at Fai’s hand. Once they had Fai’s attention, they spoke again.

 _Your blood calls to the dragon’s blood, just as his does to yours. Protect him, and he will protect you._ They tilted their head, gave him a long look, and then craned their neck to stroke their soft head against his cheek. The feathers of their crest tickled as they brushed past Fai’s nose, but he leaned into the touch anyway. The bird was very warm. Not hot enough to burn, but much like the flames they had walled themself off with earlier. It was a pleasant sensation.

 _Good luck on your journey, my child,_ they said, pulling back. _I cannot see the future, but I can sense that hardships await you. But you are my kin, and you are just as capable of rebuilding yourself from ash as I am._

With that last statement, the Zhar-ptitsa flapped their titanic wings and flew off, eventually settling into an easy soar on a thermal. Fai watched them for a moment, and then turned to walk towards where the rest of the group was waiting. As he neared them, he thought about how something the Zhar-ptitsa had said reminded him of what Ashura-ō had told him after giving him the Firebird tattoo. He walked up and stood next to Kurogane, who was still holding Sakura. He paid no mind to Syaoran’s curious look as Mokona pulled them all into the next world, instead replaying his adoptive father’s words in his head.

_“Family doesn’t end with blood.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked this, please visit the [post](http://kurofai.dreamwidth.org/101312.html) on dreamwidth for details on how to vote for this fic and links to the other ones. You don't need a dreamwidth account to vote, just a link to another account you have. If you try voting here, it won't be counted. 
> 
> Some more notes:  
> Zhar-ptitsa (жар-птица) is the Russian version of the firebird's name. It differs from language to language, obviously. I got most of my info on it [here,](http://meettheslavs.com/firebird-magical-creature-slavic-fairy-tales/) [here,](https://www.slavorum.org/legends-and-myths-about-the-phoenix-firebird-in-slavic-culture/) and [here.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firebird_\(Slavic_folklore\))
> 
> The setting was initially inspired by the one depicted in the "Firebird Suite" segment of _Fantasia 2000_. You can view it [here.](http://www.cornel1801.com/disney/Fantasia-2000/8/Firebird-Suite-Stravinsky.html) The mountain itself is based on Mt. Elbrus, an inactive volcano in the Caucasus range. It is the tallest mountain in Europe. It takes longer than the mountain in the story does to climb, but for the sake of narrative causality, I'm letting that slide. In my mind, the trail looks like the 7,000 steps up to the Throat of the World in _Skyrim._
> 
> The [Ⰻ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_numerals) symbol used is an obsolete Cyrillic numeral that represents 20, used before Russia adopted the use of Arabic numerals. The unit, [versta,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsolete_Russian_units_of_measurement) is equal to about 1.07 kilometers, or 0.7 miles.
> 
> The story of how the feather fell into the Zhar-ptitsa's hands, particularly the version the Zhar-ptitsa tells, is based on the story of [The Firebird and Princess Vasilisa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Firebird_and_Princess_Vasilisa), albeit heavily modified for the sake of the plot and so as not to bog down the story in exposition.
> 
> Gnezdo ognennoy ptitsy (Гнездо огненной птицы) is, according to the super helpful KatrinaKeynes, Russian for "firebird's nest". Thank you for correcting Google Translate's raging fuck-up.
> 
> I came up with the "wild goose chase" joke while I was outlining this story and was determined to work it in somehow.
> 
> According to some Chinese legends I read, the Fenghuang (the Chinese name of Hōō) lives in the Kunlun Mountains in northern China, but I don't know if there's any real consensus on this.
> 
> The final line is shamelessly taken from Bobby Singer from _Supernatural_. Found families are one of my favorite literary tropes.


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